Ferry plans back on track

May 8, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - After a series of delays, Mat-Su Borough officials hope the $358,118 approved to complete the design, preliminary engineering and geotechnical work for the Knik Arm ferry will get the project back on schedule.

The Mat-Su Assembly on Tuesday approved the new contract with Tryck, Nyman, Hayes Inc., which will prepare ferry landings, terminal buildings and parking lots for the ferry between Port MacKenzie and the port of Anchorage.

Assembly members Betty Vehrs and Jim Colver opposed the new contract.

"Time delays led us to this point where we are having to vote on a new contract," Borough Manager John Duffy said. "Having to make contract changes is not how we like to do things, but the delays and changes made the additional funds necessary to move forward with this project."

"It seems that this project was stalled for so long," said Marc Van Dongen, port director for Port MacKenzie. "This new funding will get things back on track and on the road to completion."

Delays in the original design process were caused by a change in location of the ferry landing at Ship Creek in Anchorage, expansion of the terminal at Port MacKenzie to provide space for port offices, a delay in the design of the ferry and completion of an environmental assessment.

The Anchorage-based engineering firm initially requested $577,953 to complete the new design work for the terminal buildings and ferry landings, but Van Dongen was able to negotiate a reduction.

"It has been two and a half years in delays," Van Dongen said.

A ferry crossing Knik Arm between Port MacKenzie and the Municipality of Anchorage was originally considered in 1975. Work finally began in early 1991 when the Mat-Su Borough received state and federal agency approval to construct a multi-purpose deep-water port facility, access roads, and transit storage area for cargo at Port MacKenzie.

The ferry would provide Mat-Su residents an alternative to driving into Anchorage and provide Anchorage residents easy access to Port MacKenzie work sites.

It is expected that commuter ferry ridership would increase as the Port MacKenzie area grows.

Additionally, people accessing the Point MacKenzie area for recreational purposes, such as snowmachining, fishing, and camping, are expected to use the ferry.

Van Dongen indicated that the proposed ferry will be approximately 220 feet long and would hold approximately 50 cars and 150 passengers. It is expected that the total ferry transit time would take about 30 minutes.

Design work for the terminal buildings is expected to be completed by the end of the month and should go out to bid for construction sometime in June.

Design for the ferry landing is slated to be complete in September and construction should begin during the summer or fall of 2006.

Van Dongen said he hopes the ferry will begin running by June 2007.

Darrell Breese may be reached at 352-2267.